August 2, 2025: In a wide-ranging interview with Newsmax, President Donald Trump lauded his press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, and simultaneously intensified his attacks on former political rivals, accusing Barack Obama of being the “mastermind” behind the alleged plot to link him to Russia during the 2016 election.
Trump, speaking with host Rob Finnerty, showered praise on the 27-year-old Leavitt, calling her “a star” and the “finest Press Secretary to have served any President.” He complimented her intelligence and communication style, commenting on her “brain, face, and lips,” which he said “move like she is a machine gun.”
The interview took a more confrontational turn as Trump shifted his focus to the 2016 election. Citing the recent declassification of portions of former special counsel John Durham’s report, which he referred to as the “Durham annex,” Trump claimed that the Russian interference scandal was a “fake” plot orchestrated by Hillary Clinton’s campaign and approved by Obama.
“You could almost say that he was almost more of the mastermind,” Trump said of Obama. “He heard what she was doing, and then he approved it—and not only approved it, he approved it and pushed it. And they knew it was fake.” Trump called the alleged scheme “one of the great scandals…in the history of our country” and suggested that those responsible should “pay a price.” However, he also indicated he would remain neutral on any potential indictments, leaving the matter to Attorney General Pam Bondi.